Cheetahs!

Cheetahs! - Page Text Content

S: Cheetahs

FC: Cheetahs | By: Maddie Hulse

1: Description | The cheetah is a member of the "big cat" family. It has long legs and a long, slender body. It's coat ranges in color from a light brown to tan color and is covered with small black spots. Cheetahs have black stripes, also called "tear marks", that run from the inside corners of it's eyes down it's face. They are called tear marks because it looks as if the cheetah had been crying. The stripes help the cheetahs when they are hunting because they keep the sun out of their eyes.

2: Habitat | Like any large cat, cheetahs thrive in an area where prey is abundant. They live in a variety of habitats which can include grasslands, savannas, places with dense vegetation, and even mountainous areas.

3: Cheetahs used to range throughout Asia and Africa, however, now they can only be found in Iran and in some parts of Africa.

4: Behavior | Cheetahs have some interesting behaviors. For instance, most female cheetahs will live alone, unless they are raising cubs. Male cheetahs generally live in packs with brothers from the same litter.

6: Cheetahs hunt in the late morning and early evening. They hunt their prey by stalking it and then chasing it when it is in close range. | Hunting

7: Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. They can run up to 70 miles per hour! Though they can run fast, cheetahs tire quickly. In fact, a cheetah can only run full speed for about 20 seconds and they usually never run longer than one minute.

8: Cubs | The gestation period for a cheetah is about 95 days. A litter consists of about 4-5 cubs. The cubs are a smokey gray color with long, rough fur that runs along their backs. This fur is called the mantle. Each cub is about 30 cm long and weighs 250-300 grams at birth.

9: The cubs stay with their mothers for the first 18 months of their lives. During this time they learn skills that will help them later on in life (Ex: hunting, stalking, etc.). When their mother leaves them, the cubs for a small pack of their own. After 6 more months, the females leave the pack and go off on their own.